Sneak Peeks: Chloe’s Spanish themed Bridal Boudoir Shoot
There’s more where this came from.
Also, I’m officially in love with ebay veils. Full report soon:)
What She Said: Mrs. A, a 40+ bride and mother
The decision to undertake a boudoir shoot as a wedding present for my husband to be was a big one. Whilst I was totally confident he would love the present, I wasn’t so confident about taking my clothes off in front of a stranger, especially as I have issues around my pregnancy stretch marks. I spent a long time researching boudoir photographers on the internet. At 44, it was important that my album was a relatively natural and classy affair and so many of the sites I came across showed photographs of over made up women, obviously airbrushed doll-like photographs or cheesy poses (I know, I know, pretend I didn’t do the police shots!). When I came across the Rebel & Romance website I was immediately struck by the beautiful photographs, which were exactly what I was looking for, but I also loved the personal tone to the website content.
In person Stormy was exactly the same and I was really impressed that it was equally as important to her as it was to me, that we struck up a rapport before agreeing to go ahead with a shoot. With this in mind, turning up on the day wasn’t nearly as scary as I had expected – I was far more nervous that my fiancé would phone and ask where on earth I was!
Venturing out of the bathroom in my first set of lingerie was a little bit odd, but by the second set I was totally at ease. Stormy chose poses to hide the areas I wasn’t comfortable in showing and throughout the shoot had me naturally laughing, which was a relief as beforehand I was a little worried I would look like a rabbit in headlights in all the photographs.
I was really nervous meeting Stormy to see the photographs, but I couldn’t have been happier. In fact I did keep wondering if it was really me – surely I couldn’t look quite that good?! I was so excited! The worst part of the whole experience was keeping the secret until the day before my wedding. I had this amazing album hidden in my wardrobe and couldn’t tell a soul.
But it was worth the wait. My fiancé couldn’t believe his luck and the wedding photos of us chatting during the ceremony are actually him telling me how amazing his present was!
-A
Mrs. M in London
We had a great time with Mrs. M.
She’s dynamic, beautiful, funny, and confident. Maybe she’s always been this way, or maybe it’s just what happens when you wind up your fast leg and kick breast cancer squarely in the mouth.
It was an honour to photograph her either way.
We started the shoot off in her husband’s shirt. This is such a lovely way to show your partner you’re thinking of them, and it looks great too.
If your partner is quite a bit bigger than you, we can always pin the shirt around you so it doesn’t drown you. Or, you could bring other items that are personal to your relationship – maybe a tie, a piece of jewellery, an old concert t-shirt, etc.
Statement jewellery can be a lot of fun.
These pearls were a dream to shoot with, and you don’t have to break the bank – just get some good fakes and no one will ever be the wiser.
For our next look, we added a bold red lip and paired it with classic black lingerie.
Oh Hi…I’m Mrs. M and I have the most incredible eyes ever…
Sometimes a sneaky little anonymous shot is great for an album cover or wall art. We ended up choosing a different image for Mrs. M’s album, but I still like the mysterious nature of this frame.
This location has a great view of the Shard. The weather was good and Mrs. M was feeling brave, so we hopped onto the balcony quickly.
This is Mrs. M’s wedding sari. HOW CUTE IS THAT? We both loved how these turned out, and I’m sure her husband did too:)
Initially, Mrs. M told me that she didn’t like her breast cancer scars and might want me to remove them in post production, but she wasn’t 100% sure yet. After we talked it through, I told her that I’d leave them so she could see how she felt about them in the final images.
In the end, they didn’t bother her half as much as she though they would and we left them in.
I like that.
You know why? Because a scar does not make you look less beautiful. It just makes you look stronger.
OH MY HELL. Shut up with your pretty face Mrs. M.
And the legs. Enough already with your long legs.
Just kidding, you’re amazing. Loved these implied topless shots as well.
Mrs. M, it was beyond lovely to work with you. My very best wishes for your two new projects coming up;)
xx
Stormy
Miss Emma and a few new things to borrow
This week on the blog: Emmmma.
Emma and I first worked together about two years ago. She had a very different look back then, so when I had a last minute session come free we arranged for round two. Newer, fresher, summery.
I actually just dug through my blog archives to find our original images, and I’m having a very surreal feeling comparing the two shoots…but that’s another post for another time. On to the good stuff.
Simple, pretty, a little understated, and a little French.
Miss E is wearing Agent Provocateur’s bridal range on top. This bra is part of my (small but growing) studio collection of lingerie that is available for clients to use, but unfortunately I don’t have the matching bottoms. I brought it along anyway, and Emma just so happened to have a perfectly matching set of knickers in her bag. One point to us.
Sometimes the best frames are the ones you don’t even try for.
A little window light is all you really need for beautiful bridal boudoir imagery.
The obligatory silhouette. It never fails.
Next up is this beautiful raw silk kimono and matching knickers, hand made by the lovely Katrina of Stripped Beautiful.
I’ve been waiting for weeks for an excuse to use this in a shoot. It turned out exactly how I’d imagined – soft, flowy, and a little whimsical. This is also available for clients to use, and it’s a very forgiving fit since the knickers tie up on the sides.
Lots of moody black and whites this go around.
And then there’s this number: an insanely priced set from Agent Provocateur’s Soiree Collection. It’s a quarter cup and weighs about ten pounds, but it’s quite tricky to photograph without pasties. I’m working on getting some pasties made to match and then we’ll show it off properly;)
Love this pose, it seems to be universally flattering for women.
A few frames using the vanity table and mirror. This shoot alone has convinced me to buy one of these for the new studio.
The thing about Emma is that she’s got verrry long legs and is six feet tall, so we had to be a tad careful that she didn’t end up looking like she was in a doll’s house.
Fun with mirrors.
Some more fun with mirrors. It’s a bit of a theme this shoot;)
Messy hair, dark eyeliner, and black lingerie for the win.
Miss E has such a great stare down.
A few lighter bed shots next. These sort of images are a great way to inject a little fun and movement into your album.
This room is overpoweringly silver in real life. It looks garish and fake at best (because let’s face it – there’s no way that’s all genuine silver leaf). However, thanks to the magic of a little clever lighting and toning in post processing, the end result is anything but.
There’s something a little Angelina Jolie about Emma here.
Over the shoulder:)
This last set is not for the faint hearted. Another Agent P number, this one is all straps and daring PVC. It’s a bit intimidating, but great if you want something that’s going to push you outside your comfort zone.
You can see it doesn’t quite fit Emma properly, but we though it was close enough to use anyway. If we wanted to get technical about it, we could have just pinned that rogue strap back or retouched it out, but I wasn’t that bothered by it. I just really loved Miss E’s hair and lip colour in this image.
Anyway – if you’re feeling brave, this one is yours to borrow as well.
We ended the shoot in the terribly lit bathroom but still managed these two images. A bit arty and maybe a little over-processed, but still sort of cool:)
xx
Stormy
Finally a video!
Destination Boudoir Sessions: Jada in NYC
On the blog today:
Jada. Round 2.
Some of you might remember the first time Jada and I got together. We met in a Victorian mansion in London, and had a great boudoir session where everything was soft, pretty and glamorous (see a recap here).
Jada and I were hoping to do another shoot together in NYC, but of course she was due to leave the city two days before I was meant to arrive, so it didn’t look like it was going to happen. We whined and complained, but finally just gave up and promised to set something up when we both got back to London instead. Then (as always seems to happen with great shoots) things magically fell into place at the last minute. Jada was unexpectedly booked for a job that kept her in the city for a little longer, I ended up with half a day free, and the rest is pretty self-explanatory.
I really love working with clients and models a 2nd time. The 2nd shoot seems to be more fun for everyone, since we already know each other and can be more relaxed about the whole process. There’s obviously less nervousness and panic to battle through, and more willingness to just give something a go. I find it tends to be a little easier technically too, since I usually remember what worked best for a person the first time and can build on that. Plus, you get to try something totally different – new clothes, new location, new attitude, whatever. It’s nice to showcase a different side of someone.
This location was the perfect round 2 setting for Jada and I, since it couldn’t have been more different from our first shoot if it tried. We were aiming at a set of images that captured a NYC feel – gritty and urban, with a touch of girl next door. I think we got there, or close enough anyway:)
I love a good slouchy sweater for boudoir shoots. It’s casual but still looks great. Something like this is an ideal option if you feel a little conscious of what you’re going to be doing with your hands or aren’t so keen on your midsection.
If Jada was a verb, that verb would be smoulder.
Similarly, a t shirt works just like a slouchy sweater, but it’s a little lighter and even more casual. It’s an ideal choice if you’re not into dressing up and heels, or if you want that “Sunday morning” feel.
It’s always funny to me how we can take things from happy /fun/commercial to downright seductive with just a few quick changes.
On to our first proper lingerie set, which Jada rocked, as always.
It’s such a pleasure working with strong women like Jada. I think they could teach the world a lot about what it means to accept yourself, and about how to develop a sense of self worth that isn’t tied to what other people think about your body.
I’ve decided after finishing these images that we need to go tropical. Maybe destination sessions in Thailand? How amazing would that be?!
I didn’t bring a lighting kit with me to NYC, and by this point we were quickly losing sunlight. We decided on a wardrobe change and then a daring jaunt up to the roof.
Mandatory warehouse window shot.
On the roof at sunset. It doesn’t get cooler than this.
So much city, so little time.
A slightly moodier version…
And one last shot as the sun went down.
A few more on our way down. These are super gritty and dirty, but I still think they turned out pretty cool without looking too hootchy.
Finally, a few final images we took in the elevator on the way down. I was about 90% sure these weren’t going to work, but the first shot totally surprised me and then I took about 50 in 10 seconds. No external lighting used, just the one dingy lightbulb inside the lift, high ISO, and me insisting Jada kept her face angled upwards.
We wrapped up, went back downstairs, took 45 minutes to order a pizza (neither of our phones were working in USA and neither of us had USA debit cards, so it was a mission), and then spent the rest of the evening eating too much pizza, chatting about confidence and body image, and about the intricacies of “making it” in the fashion/creative world.
Keep an eye out for this one ( follow her on Instagram @jadasezer ), she’s got her head on straight and is all about empowering women and representing for curvy girls. I think she’s destined for big things.
Jada, you were brilliant as always. It’s such a pleasure working with you. Until next time (preferably on an island, yes?!)…
xx
Stormy
Curvy Philomena in NYC
Meet Miss P:)
She’s British Ghanaian woman, a fantastic plus size model, an advocate for health equality, and has impeccable style. It was such a treat to photograph her in the Big Apple.
An odd thing struck me as I was working on these images though. I grew up in a small, rural American town. It’s a place where the benchmark of feminine beauty is very narrowly defined as a thin, blonde cheerleader type who shops at The Buckle and Abercrombie. Tans and fake nails are key, tattoos and piercings are scorned, and a nice car or truck means you’re making good money. It’s also a very homogenous place – in my entire community, there was not a single African American person, and 90% of the people belong to the same church. It’s a place with plenty of positive attributes, but tolerance isn’t one of them.
Although Philomena is undeniably and obviously beautiful, I feel confident that my high school would have tried to tell her that she wasn’t. In a million little ways she would have been too much for them – too black, too curvy, too bald, too different. Too threatening to their small town ways.
I was struck by what a SHAME that is.
I don’t think Miss P would have listened anyway, but still… I hope that if you’re a woman reading this and you are struggling, that these images will inspire you to take heart. The opinions and criticisms of those around you are not necessarily correct or important, and there are many different ways to be beautiful (and only some of those have anything to do with physical attributes).
If you feel less than, perhaps the people trying to bring you down are just threatened by your potential. Maybe, you’re surrounded by idiots who don’t get you. Even more likely, is it possible you’re letting the little self-hate voice inside your head speak too loudly and too often?
Here’s the truth; you are beautiful as soon as you decide you are.
Anyhow, let’s start things off with a sultry black and white of Miss P. Three separate magazines wanted to publish this shoot, but unfortunately we weren’t able to give any of them permission due to some contractual issues, so you’ll just have to revel in Philomena’s beauty here:)
A simple white cotton lingerie set reads relaxed and casual. How cute is her cheeky grin here?
Effortless expressions and bare feet – a lovely combo.
I love this deep blue on Miss P. A strong colour like this is a great way to add a visual pop to a boudoir album, and I thought it contrasted really nicely with this vintage velvet chair.
I stuffed all this netting into my suitcase and dragged it across the ocean just for these shots. Totally worth it if you ask me, P looks positively dreamy.
For you photography people, I used only window light and a reflector for these images.
A last few of my favourites from this blue lingerie look.
Simple. Beautiful. I hope CoverGirl calls Miss P. soon, she’d be amazing for that.
For the next look we added in a black sheer wrap. This is a great piece for boudoir shoots since it gives us lots of fun posing options, and can also work well to help downplay any body areas you’re not so keen on.
Miss P and I used it to try to take flight.
Moody and seductive is always so much better than trashy and obvious. Le sigh.
I wanted to make sure we got a few silhouette type shots for Miss P to show off her curves. These always seem to look better in black and white than in colour.
Oh, you know…just hanging out in a NYC loft looking fabulous:) Love a good bodysuit. If you don’t want to show your stomach, this is a great wardrobe option.
Sometimes you just have to stare straight down the camera like you own the place. Miss P can teach you how.
We finished up our shoot with a few simple, clean images to show off Miss P’s shape and natural beauty. She’s doing a lot of commercial work at the moment, so images like these are quite important.
Miss P, it was lovely to work with you. Wishing you all the best and loads of success!
xx
Stormy
Sneak Peeks: Miss P in NYC
On the blog next week:
Miss P.
British Ghanaian / Academic / Plus Size Model / Health Equality Advocate / Fashionista
Stay tuned!
xx
Stormy
Destination Boudoir: NYC Rooftop…at midnight, in the rain, with a light saber.
This is the lovely Miss M, who is a past client and friend. The original plan was for us to squeeze in a proper boudoir shoot while in New York, but we got so busy catching up and making plans that it slipped our minds until midnight.
No problem – I had a rooftop and an amazing view, and our roommate Christie (also a photographer) had this crazy lighting tool, an Ice Light, with her. As a side note, the Ice Light looks exactly like a light saber, and would be exceedingly popular with young boys and nerds alike.
We climbed to the roof, pushed open the door, and…it was raining cats and dogs. Serious rain. It was also very cold, and everyone was tired and jet lagged.
At this point, both girls were ready to throw in the towel. I just knew if we didn’t do the shoot that night it wasn’t going to happen, so I put on my most charming smile and begged. Luckily, they agreed to humour me for 2 minutes. If you make friends with a photographer, this sort of thing is bound to happen sooner or later. You’ve been warned.
Can you see the rain?! These girls are troopers.
With no time and minimal equipment, the only way I was going to be able to get the image I had in my head was to combine several frames in post production. This gets technical so I won’t bore you with details, but due to the circumstances I wasn’t able to get Miss M and the background both in focus in the same image. Instead, I used the image above as my cityscape background, and a separate image for the best pose and expression from Miss M. Later on, I combined the two images in Photoshop.
It’s not the ideal way to work, but when you have literally two minutes and are also worried about giving your client hypothermia and flooding your very expensive camera, sometimes you just have to cut a few corners;)
Our final image:
Big thanks to Miss M and Christie – you girls are amazing! Christie, I’ll happily hold light for you in the rain if there’s ever a chance for me to return the favour:)
xx
Stormy
Destination Boudoir: Persi and Agent Provocateur in NYC
Meet Persi:
Vegan. Yogi. Your wellness guide at Electric Breath. She also has an AP addiction, and is a former plus model at Wilhelmina. We got together during my recent trip to New York.
She is positively luminous and such an interesting person. In fact, we found so much to talk about that I had to force myself to shut up to get any shooting done.
Oh yeah, AND she’s unbelievable gorgeous. Many thanks to Gemma and Katherine for a beautiful job on makeup and hair.
This is my absolute favourite way to do red and black together. A burgundy or red wine colour is miles better than a bright cherry red, unless you’re aiming for a pin up or vintage feel.
Love this pose on the right. It’s not half as comfortable as Persi makes it look, but I love the lines it creates.
Something about this loft just calls for grainy, moody black and whites.
A little shoot through glass fun.
Love this feel – like a rainy Sunday morning.
All you need is a good cup of coffee and nowhere to be. Maybe a cat.
Persi showed me this jacket and I about died. It’s vintage Agent Provocateur (can you call a brand as new as AP vintage? Probably not – it’s not for sale anymore so just don’t get your hopes up).
Apparently is was a fortune, but it’s perfection. Absolute perfection.
If you’d like to do something similar for your own shoot, there are quite a few fitted tuxedo jackets for women out there. Polyvore has a good selection, or you can always pick up a non-label and have it tailored for the perfect fit.
Pair with black heels, plain bottoms, and understated jewellery for a classic, sophisticated look.
Little details make a piece like this sing, so look for satin lining, unique buttons, or a fun colour.
Gaaaahhhh. That face!!
Okay, I know. Enough with the jacket already.
An easy men’s white shirt, and then our final set – a cute checkered number from Agent P.
I think the key to this sort of image is a great back arch and beautiful light. Sandwiching yourself into a tiny space on the floor between a table and a sofa, while balancing a large reflector and simultaneously directing and shooting is optional.
LUMINOUS. Persi actually glows.
It must be all the vegetables. Or the yoga. Or all the do good karmic energy.
Note to self: Copy Persi’s lifestyle immediately.
And finally, I saved the best for last. My favourite image of our shoot. For now anyway, I’ll probably have a different favourite next week:)
Persi, I had such a great time talking to you and working with you. I’m eager to try out some of your delicious recipes. We MUST get together again next time I’m in NYC, I won’t let you say no;)
xx
Stormy